Delta Created A Program For Networking In The Air

You won't have to stick in headphones or feign sleep to avoid
airplane chatter anymore. Delta's new "Innovation
Class" is seating professional experts to eager
"up-and-comers" next to each other in order to create a mid-air
"mentoring" program.

Here's how it works: Find a Delta flight that offers "Innovation
Class," apply for a seat through LinkedIn, and if you're chosen,
fly for free while squeezing in some quality
networking time.

"We have customers flying with us who are big thinkers and
innovators and are changing the world," Mauricio Parise, Delta's
director of worldwide marketing communications, told
CNBC. "We want to bring the ones succeeding in their field
together with people who aspire to follow them."

The first duo was expert Eric Migicovsky, the inventor
of the Pebble Smartwatch, and James Patten,
"Innovator and Visual Artist." Their flight from Salt Lake City
to a TED Conference in Vancouver, B.C. last week concluded
with Migicovsky
saying of Patten, "We'd love to draw some inspiration from what
he's working on," in Delta's video.

The next mentor will be chef Sean Brock, flying from Charleston,
South Carolina to New York on May 5th for the James Beard
awards.